The Temple of Kronos
by bluegoldrose
Summary: Unhappy with what has happened regarding Will and others, Elizabeth has spent years trying to learn how to change the course of history. [AWE Spoilers!][LizWill, and other pairings][time travel and some AU][Elizabeth centric]
1. Elizabeth's Contemplations

**Note: **This story contains _At World's End_ spoilers, and for that reason I suggest that you see it before reading this story. There are some aspects of this story which are different from the movie, and that is in order to further this story.

**Pirates of the Caribbean: The Temple of Kronos**

**Chapter 1: Elizabeth's Contemplations**

After Will left to begin his duties aboard the Flying Dutchman, Elizabeth watched the sun set into the depths of the night. Then she realized what this would mean, that she wouldn't see him again for ten long years. Tears came quickly to her eyes, and she did nothing to stop them, she fell to her knees in the sand and cried until she had no strength left. This was the first time she had been able to think about everything that had happened over the past months, and the first time she had been able to mourn those who had died.

In the past months she had had her wedding cancelled, been arrested, escaped from Port Royal, managed to somehow find Jack and the Pearl in Tortuga, killed Jack, brought Jack back from the dead, been on and escaped from several ships, become the Pirate King, freed a Greek Goddess, and defeated Davy Jones. She had also seen her father, James Norrington, and Will all die or be dead. She and Jack had made the decision to have Will stab Jones's heart, after all, it was the only way for Will to live. However, the truth was that Will wasn't really alive, he was undead—neither fully dead nor fully alive—destined to forever sail the seas and only make port once in ten years. Moreover, Elizabeth was bound to him; as the keeper of his heart, she too would live forever, and if their love remained pure then Will would never become cursed as Davy Jones had been.

The following morning The Black Pearl was within sight again, and they sent a boat out to tell her that she was free to come aboard if she wished. She accepted their offer, and rowed her boat to the Pearl. They said that they'd take her wherever she wanted to go, after all, she was their King, and they felt that they owed something to the wife of the Captain of the Flying Dutchman, not to mention that they liked her on her own right. They took her to an island not far from Port Royal, and over the next few months, built a home for her to live in.

Whenever they were nearby, the Pearl would visit her to give her supplies and company. Many pirates who sailed the Caribbean waters settled families on the island with Elizabeth, because they knew she would protect them. She enjoyed the presence of the families, because they were company for her, especially since the Pearl's visits had become less frequent. The last she had heard from the Pearl was that Barbossa had left Jack in Tortuga, but that Jack had found his way back to the ship. In her official position as Pirate King, she told the two of them to share the captaincy or to find another ship for Barbossa to captain; they agreed to share the captaincy.

As the months turned into years, Elizabeth became depressed, because she had come to realize that she would never have a child. Every evening and morning Elizabeth would walk through the tall grass on the highest part of the island to the cliffs, where she would look for a streak of green light on the horizon. The streak of light would tell her that he had been near. Her heart was with him, sailing the sea, and his was with her, protecting the island. She didn't often see the green light, and either way she would cry, because they had no way of communicating or seeing one another, and he had no way of knowing that they couldn't have a child.

She had become a solitary person, often remaining in her cottage instead of spending time with the villagers. More and more she devoted her time to study. She would send her maid to the village to send for information on a certain subject. What information couldn't be found in the libraries in Port Royal was requested from the libraries in Europe, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. It was a long process, but eventually Elizabeth learned the secret she had been searching for, a way to change time.

* * *

TBC... 

**PS**, Elizabeth's life over the intervening years will be expanded upon further in this story, but for now it is important that you see her motivations for her future actions. This is just the prologue, the story gets more interesting as it progresses, I promise.

Please Review :)


	2. It's All Your Fault!

**Notes**_ (a lot of notes)_** at the end, please read when finished with the chapter.**

**Pirates of the Caribbean: The Temple of Kronos**

**Chapter 2: It's All Your Fault!**

Elizabeth sent couriers to find the Pearl and deliver the message to its captains that she wanted to meet with them. Only a little over a month later, the Pearl was anchored off the coast, and her captains came to shore along with several members of the crew. While the crew spent time in the village, Captains Barbossa and Sparrow went to Elizabeth's lonely cottage to learn why she had asked them to come.

When Jack knocked at the door, there was no answer. The two men exchanged worried glances, but neither was willing to open the door, so they called to her. A few moments later, a semi-irritated Elizabeth opened the door. "So glad to know you made it here safely," she said, without any enthusiasm in her words.

"Well it's good to know we've been missed," Jack replied in a manner that showed he expected a more joyful reunion. "Especially since we spent all this time to come here at your request," Barbossa added.

She gave them an apologetic look, "I'm sorry. I didn't sleep well. Now please, come in." She walked into the house, and the men followed her. They noticed that the years seemed to have had no effect on her appearance, and aside from the tiredness of her face and the plainness of her clothes, she was relatively unchanged. The men sat at the table in her small home, and she poured them some rum before joining them.

The men drank from their cups, but both noticed that Elizabeth took a long drink from her own cup. "So I take it that your feelings have changed towards rum," Jack said when she put down her cup.

"Mildly," she replied. "But I didn't call you both here to discuss my drinking habits."

"What is it that you wanted us for," Barbossa questioned.

"I have a proposal to make, one that should interest you both. I've been studying over the years, learning everything I could about one subject."

"And what subject be that," Barbossa asked, interested in what she would say.

"Changing time," she stated, causing the men to become very attentive.

"So you've come across a way to change time in some way and believe that we would be interested in that as well," Jack inquired.

"You might be interested, but even if you aren't, I want your help. Before you ask why you should help me, consider the fact that I'm the Pirate King, and therefore am your overlord."

"We never would have thought of refusing to help you," Barbossa said with a smile, causing Jack to shoot a look of disagreement at his co-captain, but Jack remained silent.

"Good."

Jack spoke up. "While it's very nice of Hector here to offer our ship to you, usually I like to have some idea of where my ship is going before I leave port."

Elizabeth cocked her head incredulously. "Jack, you've left port many times without knowing where you're going."

"I said I wanted an idea, not the location per se, but a general sort of feeling for the location to which you'd have us go."

"Greece," she stated.

The men both looked at her in shock. "You want us to travel to Greece in order for you to change time," Barbossa asked for clarification.

"Yes."

"What exactly about time is it that you want to change," Jack pried.

Elizabeth looked down, her expression dark. "Everything… my father's death, James's death, Will being bound to the sea… I want all of it to be undone."

"How are you planning on doing that," Barbossa questioned.

She took a swallow of the rum. "In the texts I've been reading, there are several passages that speak of The Temple of Kronos, which is where the god of time was worshiped. In that temple there was a talisman of sorts, it wasn't well described, but it is said to have the power to send a person through time. If I can go through time, then I should be able to prevent everything bad that's happened from happening."

The men looked at her as if she were crazy. Jack, though sorely tempted to tell her she was mad, decided to ask her questions less directly related to her sanity and more directly related to _why_ she wanted to change time. "While it's a very hard thing you've gone through, losing your father and ex-fiancé, dear William is still alive… well, mostly… you have his heart somewhere in here don't you?" He shuddered a little, but before Elizabeth could respond, he continued. "I'm sure that he is a wonderful person to ferry the dead to the afterlife as well, and you do get to see him after every ten years. Besides which, if you change time, then all sorts of things could go poorly for the rest of us."

Elizabeth's features hardened, and her eyes seemed to flash as she glared at him. "Once every ten years… do you realize the sort of torture that is! I can't see him, I can't talk to him, all I can do is think about him. And then for one day, _one day,_ out of the endless number of days in ten years, I get to see the man I married and love. I don't even have the chance of bearing his child because we'll only ever have that one night in ten years." She stopped speaking because her voice was too full of emotion.

"There are other ways that you could have a child love," Jack insinuated.

She gave him a strange look, which caused him to back up a little out of fear. "You've forgiven me," were the first words she said. Both men responded in confusion. She smiled slightly. "You flirted with me quite frequently once, but then I killed you. You didn't respond to me so well after that."

"Ahhh, well time heals most wounds, and now that I've drunk from the fountain of youth there's little for me to be angry with you for. Besides which, it's been nigh about six years since I was brought back into the living world, and I can't hold a grudge that long love."

She nodded, but then glared at him for a moment. "As for having a child, I'd much rather that my _husband_ father _any_ child I conceive, and not someone else. As for what would change for everyone else, I hardly think that you'd be prevented from discovering eternal youth if two people were still alive and someone other than Will were captain of the Flying Dutchman."

"And what about Davy Jones," Barbossa questioned.

"I don't know, but we can figure those things out as we go."

"And I've been told that I'm crazy," Jack muttered to himself, though it was loud enough for Barbossa and Elizabeth to hear. Noticing that Elizabeth's glare had returned, he stood up so that he could make his case to her. "Lizzy, while your plan sounds all half-cocked and well-intentioned, as most of your plans have been, and I mean that in the best way, because after-all, you are our King."

"Elected by you," she reminded him.

He smiled. "Ah, yes, that's also true, and I've never regretted it for a moment. What you're doing however, is something that I'm quite sure hasn't been done before, and if it was, I'm sure that it wasn't the most successful endeavor. There are many who are quite satisfied with how their lives are going, and for you to undo them because your life isn't the nicest isn't exactly fair."

"It's your fault that I'm in this position to begin with," she said forcefully.

The men were taken aback. "And how exactly did you come to that conclusion," Jack asked.

"If you hadn't made Will stab Jones's heart, then he wouldn't be the captain of the Dutchman."

"If I recollect correctly, and believe me I do, it was the _two_ of us which made that decision. Besides, if we hadn't, your darling William would be _dead_ now wouldn't he?"

Elizabeth frowned, but offered a new argument. "Well if _you_ hadn't sent Will to settle your debt with Jones and fought with him over the chest, then things would have gone differently as well."

"Ah, yes they would have, except for Will wanting to stab the heart then and there. I wanted to use the heart to bargain, he wanted to kill Jones to save his father, which he did in the end. And are you forgetting that it was your dear Norrington what stole the heart and caused us all so many troubles to begin with? If the heart had been in our possession, then your father and Will would still freely roam this earth. So really it was Norrington's fault."

"I won't speak ill of the dead," she grumbled.

Barbossa, who had been watching the other two argue, finally spoke up. "Then the only one here that ye be able to speak ill of is yourself. Jack and I were both dead, so was Will, and so is Norrington. You're the only one of our merry group that hasn't been dead."

"Fine then, we'll speak ill of the dead," Elizabeth agreed reluctantly.

"Good then," said Jack. "Because from where I stand, you and Will bear most of the blame for all that happened."

"What!"

"Will betrayed us to the East India Trading Company."

"Only after you did," she interjected.

"True, but all would have gone according to my plans if the two of you hadn't decided the very day you were married to fight beside me again, and thereby cause yourselves so much pain, savvy? I was fine fighting all by me one some. I could've been the captain of the Dutchman forever, and you two would've lived merrily on your own. If he hadn't been so bent on saving his father then everything would've gone fine."

"Well it's Barbossa's fault that Will's father was even on the Dutchman."

Jack and Elizabeth turned to Barbossa together, causing him to go on the defensive. "We left Bootstrap to the sea, we didn't know then what would happen to him."

"Well if you wouldn't have mutinied against me, then Bootstrap never would've been in the service of Jones in the first place. So really, it's your fault that everything happened."

"My fault, a moment ago you were blaming her."

"Believe me, I'll get back to her. But, if you wouldn't 've mutinied, then the curse of the Isla de Muerta would have been resolved much sooner. There wouldn't 've been any danger of hanging for me, and you wouldn't have died. Bill Turner never would have joined the service of Jones, and then his son never would've tried to save him. So, as you see, you bear much more of the blame than I do."

"With all those explanations, how do you still blame me," Elizabeth protested.

"Because, your majesty, you're the one who began all of our troubles to begin with."

She was confused. "How could I have started everything when you just said that Barbossa started everything?"

"Because, if Hector hadn't mutinied against me, then you never would've met Will, and since you would still like to have Will in your life I'll start how you're to blame from the time you two first met. Would you care to explain when that was?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, but answered. "When we crossed from England to Port Royal. The ship he was on was destroyed, possibly from the power magazines exploding. I saw him in the water, and he was rescued."

"And the medallion," Jack inquired.

She opened her mouth a little, and then shut it quickly, realizing where he was going with his questions. "I took it to protect Will. Only moments before James was talking about how he would kill every pirate he met… I couldn't let Will be killed, he was only a child."

"An' so ye kept the medallion for all them years and upon capture gave his name instead of yer own to me," Barbossa said. "I see too, that these problems be mostly the fault of you and Will."

Jack gave Barbossa a smile. "At least we agree on something. Now don't look at us like that love, all I'm saying is that your troubles are very little fault of mine and mostly the fault of everyone else, savvy?"

"Fine, but you're still going to help me."

"Why not, it's always more of an adventure with you along."

She gave him a wry grin before proceeding to tell them the details of her plan.

* * *

**TBC…**

First of all, thank you to everyone who reviewed! I loved your reviews very much.

**Now for other notes:**

Um… I have a job now and I won't be able to write very often because of that. Plus I'm going on vacation next week, for a week, so again updating is gonna be a little difficult. I will write this story though!

It is insanely hard to write Jack Sparrow! The argument scene however, was a lot of fun, and definitely something that the characters would've done. I just hope it wasn't confusing.

At the end of AWE, Liz and Will have a child, I changed that to give Elizabeth more motivation for wanting to change history. I loved that scene, but this story is a little different from that one.

I'm surprised that no one caught the mistake in chapter one (I said that Jack was left in Port Royal and not Tortuga… but I edited that.)

I don't dislike the movie quite as much now, but I still think it's an upsetting movie, and it made me cry a lot, but it was fun to see the movie opening night. I'm not fond of the movie because they killed a bunch of characters that I liked, and it was violent and not that funny. I also thought AWE left many holes in the series, and lacked the camaraderie of the other two films.

I also don't like the idea of Elizabeth only having her husband one day every 10 years, that would suck! She could also see Will if she went to sea couldn't she? Although there are now things saying that Will was only bound for 10 years, but that was never stated in the film and therefore isn't part of the series… Anyway, it wasn't a very satisfying ending for me so that's why I'm writing this story.


	3. Reunion in the Turbulent Waves

**Pirates of the Caribbean: The Temple of Kronos **

**Chapter 3: Reunion in the Turbulent Waves **

"You couldn't have thought to do this years ago," Jack asked Elizabeth loudly over the din of the storm. They had left port over two weeks earlier to begin the first part of their quest, which had unfortunately led them straight into a major squall.

"It never occurred to me before," she yelled back at him while they, along with most of the Pearl's crew, lashed down the supplies below deck. The ship lurched to the starboard, causing several crewmembers to stumble or fall. Jack happened to be one of the ones who fell. When he stood, he shook his fist and shouted, "I'll teach him how to sail my ship!"

Elizabeth prevented him from running up the stairs, and thereby preventing he and Barbossa from fighting, again. "He's doing the best he can. If he could sail the Pearl safely through _that _Maelstrom, then he can keep us afloat during a storm."

They held one another with steady glares for a moment, and then returned to work. Shortly after they finished securing everything, Jack and Elizabeth returned to the deck in order to continue their search while riding out the storm. Several hours later, the storm passed, and the waves were no longer as high or rough. It was then that they found what they were looking for. Amid the rough waves were the floating remains of a ship that hadn't weathered the storm, and sailing towards the wreckage was another dark vessel, it was the Flying Dutchman.

Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat as they approached the other ship. It had been more than five years since the time she had last seen the ship and her captain. The Pearl's captains and above-deck crew also beheld the Dutchman with awe, because they all felt that someday she would ferry them to the afterlife.

* * *

The Dutchman's Captain refocused his attention from the souls that were being brought from the wreckage of one vessel, to the undamaged ship that was sailing towards them. He took out a scope to get a better look at the oncoming vessel. "The Pearl," he whispered, a mixture of joy and surprise entering his voice. He then looked at the ship more cautiously, wondering why they were here, and if their meeting was an accident or on purpose. Will considered the possibilities in his mind. If they met on accident, then it was sure to be a happy reunion. However, if the Pearl had come on purpose, then there was surely some scheme behind it, and those always tended to go awry. 

Will turned away from the sea, to look over the deck of his ship. The crew was busy pulling aboard those who had perished in the storm, and then organizing them on the deck of the ship. He ordered the crew to quickly organize the newcomers, and then to prepare for other guests. It wasn't long before Will was walking through the line of people who had been rescued from the Spanish merchant vessel. Ten of the sailors they collected were near death, and half received the offer of sailing the sea aboard the Dutchman. The other half passed swiftly into death, and was lowered off the ship; they would be met as spirits in the Waters of World's End. Two others, though injured, weren't close to death, and would need to be put ashore soon. Yet the matter of the two living Spaniards would have to wait, because a longboat from the Pearl was quickly approaching.

A ladder was thrown down to the longboat that was now beside the Dutchman, and Jack was the first one up the ladder. "Welcome aboard Jack," Will said as he gave Jack a hand to help him onto the deck.

"I'm glad we made it here in one piece," Jack said with his usual grin.

Will raised an eyebrow. "You were planning on coming?"

"Aye," he looked back down the ladder. "_Someone_ insisted upon it, and afterwards we're to go on another long trek."

Will looked at him with curiosity, and then looked down the ladder to see his wife near the top of the ladder. Joy surged through Will, and a moment later he held her hand to help her onto the deck. Elizabeth threw herself into her husband's arms, and they hugged one another will all the strength they could muster without fear of injuring one another. Beside them, Jack smiled, pleased by the reunion of his friends. He was so pleased by Will and Elizabeth's reunion, that he was about to offer his assistance to the next person up the ladder, but he decided against such a kind act when he saw that it was Barbossa.

Elizabeth and Will kissed and held one another for some time before either of them spoke. Behind them, Jack, Barbossa, and Bill Turner stood, looking embarrassed by the young couple. It didn't take long for them to realize that they were being watched, so turned to the others, though each still had one arm around the other's waist.

Still smiling, Will looked at his wife, trying to figure out which question out of the dozens that were floating through his mind that he wanted to ask first. "Why did you come," were the first words out of his mouth, and he immediately realized how bad the question sounded. "I mean… why come now? What "long trek" was Jack talking about? Elizabeth, there are so many questions I have."

She laughed even as the tears of joy that had been falling began to stop. "So do I Will. I wish that I would have thought to come sooner, it never occurred to me that I could visit you at sea."

"I've been busy ferrying the dead to the afterlife, and learning how to do this job, I don't know how much I'd have gotten done if I saw you all the time. The desire to see you again has made the years pass quickly. How did you find the Dutchman?"

Jack spoke up, out of his inability to continue witnessing the touching moment between Will and Elizabeth without being sick. "With my help." He smiled, because they were distracted, and he could see the hint of a smile on Barbossa and Bill's lips as well. "She, using her powers as Pirate King, summoned myself and the Pearl to her residence. Then she persuaded us, friendly persuasion of course, to go off on a half-cocked attempt to change time, which she can tell you more about. Before we go on that adventure however, she figured that tellin' her husband about her plan might be a good idea, so we've been searching for you with me compass."

Will let out a deep breath, realizing that their was a lot to the tale they were telling, but before he could ask anything, Barbossa continued the tale. "Aye, we set out nigh about two weeks ago. Jack's compass would spin most of the time, an' so we've been sailing a very strange course to find this 'ere ship. Finally we were led into that there squall," he motioned to the dark clouds that were in the distance. "But at last we've found you like the dear lass wished."

Will's expression was dark for a moment. "I'm just glad that none of you were lost while trying to reach me."

"So am I," Jack muttered under his breath.

"There isn't much time before I have to return to my duties, so please tell me what you will quickly." He looked to Elizabeth as he said this, and she nodded sadly. She spoke with him as they walked to his quarters, and once inside she quickly told him about what had happened since they had last seen one another. There was no time to tell him everything, so she mostly stuck to what was relevant to the quest she had coerced Jack and Barbossa into. When she had finished, he looked at her with concern and surprise.

"So you think that there's a way that everything can be undone?"

"That's what I said isn't it."

"Yes, it's just that… what will the consequences be?"

"If you're free and people are still alive who never deserved to die, then the consequences, no matter what they are, are worth the risks."

"You're a brave woman, but I've always known that."

"Many would think that I should just accept the life I've been given, and that that would show more strength."

"Perhaps," he answered noncommittally.

They sat in silence for several moments, not knowing what to say. "There's something I forgot," Elizabeth said. "Something that I want you to consider before you say whether or not you agree with me trying to change history. Calypso came to me not too long after we last saw one another. She offered me a gift and a curse, even though they're two sides of the same coin. She granted me immortality." Will's eyes widened as he looked at his wife. "She said that it would be unfair for you to live forever without the woman you love living forever as well, so she bound my life to yours. If your heart were to be pierced, then I would die as well, but while your heart beats, so will mine."

He looked at her for a long time, trying to decide what to say, and deciding which course of action would be the right one to take. "Immortality is a curse," he began eventually. "I wouldn't wish it on anyone, even though people like Jack would willingly take it. However, in time I think that even Jack would tire of seeing the world continue to change around him without he himself changing too. Find the talisman Elizabeth, and try to change the course that history has taken. No matter what happens, I will love you."

They hugged and kissed passionately again before returning to the deck. Elizabeth informed the captains of the Pearl that their mission was to commence as soon as they reached the Pearl. Before they left the Dutchman however, Will convinced them to take aboard the two survivors of the Spanish ship. They said their goodbyes swiftly, all except for Will and Elizabeth that is. The married couple hugged long and kissed quickly before she descended the ladder to the longboat.

Elizabeth refused let the others see her tears as they began to row back to the Pearl. Yet even through the pain of parting again with the man she loved, a distant hope rose in Elizabeth's heart. She knew that the first part of their journey was over, and the journey that lay ahead could free her husband from his life aboard the Dutchman. That hope made her smile, and yet she was cautious of letting that hope overpower her, lest it not come to pass.

* * *

TBC... 

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. If ever you have any questions regarding this story, please ask.

Comments on reviews:  
**lateBloomer04**- I'm used to watching/reading/writing time travel related stories. I'm glad for the reviews that this one has recieved, even though the quantity of reviews means little to me, only that I recieve some. I'm glad that this story is of interest to you, and that you consider it to be good. As for if Will is free or not, I'll wait to read the script to see what it says... I'm just waiting for the writers to post it as promised.

**diva.divine**- Of course it's all Beckett's fault! lol, loved your review.

To those who liked the argument scene, love you much. And again, everyone who reviewed, you guys rock!

This story and all of it's impending drama will continue soon :)


	4. Greece

**Please Read All The Notes… including the ones at the end**:

First of all, I am soo happy to finish this chapter!! I took me over a week to write! Please review when you finish to tell me what you think of it! This chapter is 7.5 pages long in MS word, the notes are about two pages long.

**1**-Elizabeth has until this point been portrayed as being somewhat depressed, which is a pretty normal result for someone in her position of having lost almost everyone she cared for, and to have her life change so drastically. From this point on, she isn't depressed, and that is due to her having met up with Will, not as her husband but as her friend. She needed someone to renew her confidence and to tell her that she was making the right decision, and no one else had except for him.

**2**- Whenever Liz mentions the lives that she wants to save, she's not just referring to her father, Will, and James, she's also referring to the mass slaughter of people by Beckett.

**3-** A ship's captain would normally have a helmsman to steer the ship, but neither Jack nor Barbossa is a normal captain, and each would rather steer the ship than to have the other at the helm.

**4**- This chapter is exceedingly long, but that's because we're still in the intro, and I hate the intro parts of stories! (reading or writing them, lol) So I'm trying to make these chapters long in order to get through them quickly. (This chapter doubled the length of the story so far.)

**5**- I apologize before hand for the architectural terms near the end of the chapter, but since I know them, I may as well use them.

**6- French translations** are at the end of the chapter, although they may not be exactly correct in French, they are close.

**7- Nautical terms**:  
bow/fore- front of ship  
stern/aft- back of ship  
helm- the wheel  
port- left side of ship  
starboard- right side of ship  
hold- area below the top deck  
forecastle- room at the fore of the ship which can be accessed from the top deck  
crow's nest- lookout place near the top of the mast

**8- Other terms:  
**waxing moon- heading towards full  
waning moon- heading towards new

**Pirates of the Caribbean: The Temple of Kronos **

**Chapter 4: Greece **

A not so subtle change had come over Elizabeth after her brief reunion with Will. She spent more time in the company of the crew, joking with them and listening to tales of the sea, both old and new. Yet even while it seemed like a heavy burden was lifted from her, the Pearl's captains realized that it was because she had become more resolved in her purpose. Elizabeth had rediscovered her inner strength, something that _she_ had thought was gone, but everyone else knew was always there.

Now, hardened by many trials, and strengthened by a newfound confidence and determination, Elizabeth's inner steel shown through. She had found comfort in knowing that Will approved of her quest, as insane as her idea seemed to be. His faith in her had renewed her confidence in her plan, and that had caused the change in her demeanor. Even through her laughter with the crew, the steely strength of the Pirate King could be seen. Jack and Barbossa never said anything to her about her change, but they were both pleased that she had regained her confidence.

When she wasn't with the captains or crew, she spent her time on the prow of the ship, or in the crow's nest, always looking forward, yet often inwardly looking back. She had been a good governor of her island, and of the Pirate Kingdom over the years, even though she had spent much of her time at home. She had settled any manner of disputes that arose among the villagers or with various crews in the seas. She had founded a school on the island so that the children and various other family members of pirates could be educated and hopefully, live better lives as they grew. She had also started a sugar cane plantation on a large portion of the island, which was used to make rum that was sold to various towns in the Caribbean. The income from the rum sales supported many of the islands inhabitants, and provided a legitimate source of income for them all. Through all those things, she had proved her strength, even if she didn't realize it herself at the time.

She was standing at the bow again, watching seagulls flying overhead. Jack walked over to her, from the helm at the aft, and stood beside her. "Have a fight with Barbossa gain," she asked as he tightened his hands around the railing.

He debated shouting out his dislike of Barbossa for a moment, but he knew it would accomplish nothing. "He won't let me have the helm," Jack seethed.

She couldn't help but laugh, which earned her a glare from Jack. "Why don't you just wait until he needs to relieve himself or sleep, and then take it back?"

"Because," he paused with his mouth open and hand raised. He knew what the answer was, and she knew it too; whenever Barbossa left the wheel, Jack was usually asleep or somewhere in the hold of the ship, drunk. He slumped forward on the railing, resting his head on his arms.

She looked down at him, amused by the fact that he was pouting. "We're nearing land," she offered as a consolation.

"Aye, that we are," he proclaimed with a smile. He straightened up to face her. "We'll be passing into the Mediterranean by nightfall."

She grinned. "Then the journey is nearly over."

"The journey to the _island_ is nearly over, as we should reach before the week is ended. However, changing time as it were may take considerably longer." She nodded thoughtfully, and even Jack was thoughtful for that moment. "Besides which, we may run into unexpected guests in these waters," he added with a slight twitch of his lip.

"What do you mean?"

"We'll be in the waters which are controlled by Pirate Lords Chevalle and Villanueva. Neither of them is too fond of me self or Barbossa."

"Then it's a good thing that I'm aboard isn't it?" They grinned together.

"Aye, that it is Lizzie." They watched the birds together for a moment in silence. "It's good to have you back Elizabeth," he said kindly. The words had many meanings. He had missed her over the years, and he enjoyed her company aboard ship, but he was also referring to the change in her personality.

She gave him a soft smile, replying to everything he could mean with few words. "It's good to be back Jack." She took a slow, deep breath. "I had forgotten how much I loved the sea and the Pearl."

"The sea," he asked. "Or freedom?"

"I've never lost my freedom."

"Then you'd just forgotten it for a time I s'ppose, but that wasn't the question."

"Haven't they always been one and the same, the sea and freedom?"

"Aye and we fought to keep it that way."

"Aye that we did, and the price that was paid for freedom was high, too high." The last words she spoke with some sadness and bitterness.

"You'll change that Lizzie, if I know you at all, and I do know you."

She regarded him for a moment, noticing how solemn he seemed to be. "You're not being very Jack-like, you know?"

"Can't I be serious every once and again? Lizzie dear, you haven't been very Elizabeth-like until quite recently, so why can't I be un-Jack-like, as you put it, for a moment?"

She laughed. "There's no reason at all."

"Good, now I'll be getting back to me duties."

"Duties?" She interrupted, an eyebrow raised.

He narrowed his eyes briefly, but answered undaunted. "My _duty_ is to captain this ship with the help of that _man_ who you insisted upon leaving aboard the Pearl, but since _I'm_ the one with the compass which can point us wherever we wish to go, I'm plotting the course. Meanwhile, you can continue figurin' out what we'll be doing when we reach our destination, savvy love?"

"Of course Jack." She watched him take a few steps before adding with a smile, "Oh, and Jack." He looked back at her. "Try to get along with your co-captain."

"Tell _him_ that," He yelled at her before marching off quickly.

"I already have," she shouted back. She could tell that Jack was muttering something as he walked down the stairs onto the main deck, and that only succeeded in causing her to laugh more. She enjoyed antagonizing Jack, if only because she knew he wouldn't take it to heart. She watched him lean against the mast and take a swig of rum from a bottle that had been lying on deck. "It _is_ good to be back," she whispered.

* * *

Their months of travel to Europe were at an end that evening. As the sun lay low on the horizon, coloring the sky with brilliant shades of orange and red, they approached the Strait, with large cliffs looming on one side. They had seen the land several hours earlier, but they would pass into the Strait within an hour. Most of the crew was on the deck, enjoying the weather, and they looked in awe at the approaching land. Jack grinned as he steered the ship on its course. He had, with Elizabeth's help, taken over the helm several hours earlier, and was determined not to let go. Elizabeth and Barbossa stood on either side of Jack as they drew nearer to the passage between Spain and Africa. 

"We've reached Gibraltar," Barbossa said, a certain pride in his words.

"Aye," Jack replied, a similar tone of pleasure in his voice.

Elizabeth and most of the crew also felt glad to see Gibraltar for the same reason that Jack and Barbossa did. They had been born in Europe, and this was the first time they had seen a land close to where they had been born in many years. While the Caribbean was home to them all, they still felt a connection to their former homelands in Europe.

"Soon," Elizabeth whispered under her breath. "Soon everything will be made right."

* * *

The passage through the Strait of Gibraltar and into the Mediterranean Sea was uneventful. The skies darkened, and the land diminished in the distance, swallowed by the sea and the night. The hours passed on and midnight was quickly approaching. Captain Barbossa and the majority of the crew were asleep, some lay sprawled on the deck, mindless to any cares. Jack still stood at the helm, occasionally gazing at his compass to make sure they were going the right way. 

Only three lanterns were lit on the ship, one near Jack, one on the main deck, and one in the crow's nest with Elizabeth. Other than the dim light of the lamps, the only light came from the stars and waxing moon. Even in the low light, Jack could make out his headings by his compass and the stars. He wondered if Elizabeth was actually keeping watch in the crow's nest, or if she had fallen asleep while writing in her journal, as usual. "Probably the latter," he mused.

Gradually he became aware of a dim light to the port side. As he watched it with keen eyes, he could tell that the light was moving in the direction of the Pearl. "A ship," he breathed, hoping they wouldn't meet with the other vessel although that was unlikely.

Minutes later, Elizabeth signaled him with her lantern that she too had seen the vessel. She then began climbing down the ladder after dousing her lamp. When she reached him, they spoke in low tones. "You saw the light," he asked.

"Yes, and they've probably spotted us."

"Rouse the crew, and have them prepare for unexpected guests."

"When do you think they'll reach us?"

"Half an hour or less, they've got more wind in their sails then we do."

She nodded, and then proceeded to wake up the crewmen who were on deck, which included Gibbs, Pintel, Ragetti, Mullroy, and Murtogg. After waking those four, Gibbs fell back to sleep, she went to wake up Barbossa while they roused the rest of the crew. By the time that everyone was alert and standing at the ready, the other vessel was pulling alongside them. In the dim light, they could make out the flag of Captain Chevalle. They signaled to on another with their lamps, wishing for a parley. After much debating over the lamps, they were close enough to yell to one another over the waters, still unable to decide which ship to meet on.

"You're in my waters, ye must come to my ship," Chevalle yelled to them in his thick accent.

"As we're guests here ye should come to us," Barbossa yelled back. Jack smirked with approval behind him, they had given the helm to another crewman for the parley.

"Clever words, but no captain leaves his ship without a good reason, and no one goes aboard the Black Pearl unless he wishes for his own ship to be commandeered. Why are you here?"

"We're here at the _King's_ command," Jack replied. "And she sails with us. So in order to meet with _her_, _you_ must come aboard the Pearl." The three captains on the Pearl, and most of the crew smiled at that.

"Fine, prepare to receive a party from my ship, we'll come by plank and rope."

Everyone on the port side of the Pearl backed up, and in a few minutes, Captain Chevalle and four of his men were on the ship. "He wasn't lying I see," Chevalle told Elizabeth.

"No, he doesn't lie very often, much to the surprise of many," she replied.

He gave a grunt of disbelief, but made no comment on the subject of Jack. "So, what are you doing here ma dame?"

"We're searching for an ancient talisman. You have my word as King that the Pearl, her captains, and crew will do no pirating in your waters. We are only seeking adventure, not plunder."

"Then ye may have passage through my waters."

"Thank you Captain Chevalle," she replied kindly.

He smiled back at her, though the makeup and wig he wore made it seem rather strange. "There is a matter that I'd like to discuss with you my King, if you have the time."

"Of course," she replied, and the two of them walked to the forecastle cabin while the others spoke with one another.

Taking seats and pouring themselves drinks, Elizabeth and Chevalle spoke with one another. "Qu'est que vous desirez discuter," she asked in fluent French.

He smiled and replied in French as well. "Plusieurs années il y a j' ai reçu une lettre d'un messanger. Le messanger a dit que l'expéditeur a souhaité rester anonyme, mais que la lettre était importante. La lettre m'a demandé combien la dette du Jack Sparrow était, et ne pas l'enjoliver à tout. Naturellement, je me méfiais de que l'expéditeur pourrait être, mais j'ai répondu véridiquement, et depuis j'ai recu la somme et l'intérêt. J'ai entendu aussi que les autre Seigneurs de Pirate ont reçu des lettres similaires."

"Ah, et vous croyez que je connais qui l'expéditeur est?"

"Peut-être ma dame." He grinned at her, and she smiled ambiguously. They both took a sip of rum.

"Zee rum is good, but I do not recognize the maker."

"That's because it's my label," she replied.

"Vraiment?"

"Yes, I own an island and a plantation, the townspeople work the sugarcane fields, and we make rum to export. It's a pirate island of course, but the people are good, and the money the rum brings in is decent."

"Assez bon se débarasser des dettes du Jack, j'admis?"

She nodded slightly. "I owed him a debt that I had to repay. Just don't go telling him that he has no debts to the Pirate Lords, or he'll lose his fear of sailing in your waters."

"De ne couler pas ma dame. Now I believe that I'll take my leave of you. The Black Pearl is free to sail these waters as long as she does no pirating."

"Bien sûr, merci," she responded, standing up. They walked out of the cabin together, and shortly thereafter, the French pirates departed. Before crossing back over, Chevalle said farewell to Elizabeth. "Au revoir, ma dame et la bonne sante à vous."

"Merci Chevalle, et la même à vous," she replied as he swung back to his own ship.

"Have a pleasant chat," Jack asked.

"Always Jack." She favored him with a smile before focusing on Barbossa as well. "The Pearl is free to sail these waters under one condition, that we do no pirating."

"That won't be hard given that you've already told us that we're not permitted to do any piratin' on this here adventure," Barbossa muttered in his typical manner. "Well, now that they're headin' off, I do believe it be time to sleep."

A chorus of "ayes" was heard on the deck from the crew. "Aye," she said as well. "To bed, bunk, and hammock, and in a few days we'll be in Greece." With that, they all went to bed, except for a handful of crewmen who were to keep watch and steer the ship on a steady course.

* * *

The ship rocked gently from side to side, gently enough that when Elizabeth awoke she realized that something was up. She dressed quickly in a plain, off-white gown, and put on her boots. Then she pulled aside the curtain that separated her sleeping area from the rest of the Captain's cabin and the sleeping areas of Jack and Barbossa. 

She walked unto the main deck, and had to blink for several minutes before her eyes were accustomed to the brightness of the sun shining off the water and the white marble buildings on the island. '_The island_,' she thought. She looked around the deck to see that many of the crewmen were either wandering up and down a gangplank, or lazily lying on the deck. She took a few steps forward, and took in the view.

The dock they were at was small compared to most of the ones she had been at in her life, but it was large enough to dock more than half a dozen ships the size of the Pearl. The buildings on the island were ancient, many dating back over two thousand years. The streets and buildings were made predominantly from marble, and they gleamed brightly in the sun. On a hill above the town, and not too far away from town, was a temple. "The temple," she whispered, raising a hand to her neck.

"So you're finally awake," Barbossa's voice proclaimed behind her. She turned around and looked up to see him looking down at her from the aft deck.

"When did we dock?"

"Nigh about dawn," came his reply.

"Dawn! It's nearly noon! Why didn't you wake me?"

He was walking down to her, followed closely by a male in his early teens who was clearly a native of the island. "We thought that you'd be wantin' to sleep as you haven't slept much of late."

She smirked. "Well it's hard when there are two men snoring loudly in the room." She looked curiously at the stranger, but didn't ask about him yet. "Where's Jack?"

"Tellin' the crew what supplies we be needin' and then bringin' 'em back here. They should be back soon."

She nodded. "And who is our guest?" She inclined her head towards the young Greek who was now standing in front of her next to Barbossa.

He bowed his head to her respectfully, and then replied with a heavy accent. "My name is Therapon Papadopoulos. I am in the service of the priests of Kronos. I was told to come to the docks and meet a strange vessel. I knew that it was this ship when I saw her. I was told that I would see a lady fair and strong aboard this vessel, and that when I met her I was to greet her kindly. When you are ready I am to take you to the temple, your coming has been awaited."

She looked at him in shock. Barbossa just smiled, having already heard the boy's tale. "You knew that I was coming?"

"Yes," he answered solemnly. "She who is venerated by those who live by the seas told us of your coming."

Elizabeth was going to ask what that meant, but at that very moment, Captain Jack Sparrow was walking, well swaggering, up the gangplank followed by crewmen with supplies. "Ah you're awake love," he proclaimed brightly. "And I see that you've met the little whelp, I mean guide." He amended his words when she glared at him.

"I have," she replied. "And if everyone is ready, I'd like to head to the temple as soon as I've had something to eat, unless of course we have something that could be eaten on the way?"

Jack quickly handed her a loaf of bread from one of the sacks that had just been brought aboard. "You can eat that on the way with no trouble," he said. "Or you can look through the other goods we bought."

"With my money I suppose," she said after taking a bite of the bread.

"Of course love; you're the one financing this little expedition of ours after all."

She shook her head a little, but smiled just the same. Picking up a flask of wine from one of the crates that was just brought aboard, she took a swallow of it and made a soft sigh of pleasure. Deciding that the wine was delicious, and the bread filling enough for her, she had lost her appetite due to being so nervous and excited about being so close to her goal, she was ready to leave. "I'm ready to go if you are," she told Jack, Barbossa, and their young guide. The men began to head towards the gangplank, with the captains ordering the crew to stow the cargo before they returned or else, but Elizabeth quickly returned to their cabin.

Laying her meal aside on the table, she grabbed her sword belt, and fastened it securely around her hips. Then she picked back up her bread and wine and hurried back outside, and down the gangplank to join her companions. Jack grinned a little at her. "Feel like you were missing something did ya?"

"A Pirate King needs her sword doesn't she," she replied with a grin of her own.

"Aye, even in a peaceful town like this, just so that her presence is known." She laughed and nearly choked on a piece of bread at his playful remark, but managed to recover quickly. "Why don't we remain serious until I finish eating so that I don't choke to death," she said.

"I'll try, but it's tempting."

She opened her mouth, shocked that he said that, but held her mouth. They remained relatively quiet for the rest of their walk. It took about twenty minutes for them to walk from the docks, to the temple. The streets were paved with white stones, and wound up hillsides. In the lower levels of the town, people filled the streets, buying and selling goods. Further in and further up, there were people doing various tasks in their homes: cooking, cleaning, and sewing among other chores. When they left the town, they came upon a small lake that was fed by spring on the hill above. Many women were washing clothes in the lake. There were many trees around the path now, which cooled them considerably. The path wound steadily upwards, and it was difficult to travel at parts because the path was broken and worn away by the passing of the centuries. Eventually however, they stood before the Temple of Kronos.

The temple was small, but still grand. Four columns were in the front of the building, on the front portico, supporting the roof of the building and creating an ambulatory around the outside of the building. They walked up the steps and passed through the entryway in to the naos, or sanctuary, of the temple. Inside, columns lined the walls, and at the back of the sanctuary was a tall statue of Kronos. Braziers stood beside the columns, providing illumination to the windowless room. Near the statue stood two priests dressed in simple white garments. Therapon and the priests walked to one another and spoke in hushed tones for several moments, and then the priests spoke directly to Elizabeth.

"We were told of your coming, and we welcome you to the Temple of Kronos, keeper of time," said the one.

"We are grateful to have in our presence some who have been touched by the gods," said the other, as he looked upon all three of their faces.

"What exactly do you mean," asked Jack.

"And who told you of our coming," Barbossa added, leaving no question for Elizabeth to ask.

The priests and Therapon simply looked behind them, the elder priest motioning softly with his head for them to turn around. As they turned, they heard a familiar voice speak behind them. "I be the one who told them of your coming."

Expressions of a vast array of emotions shown on their faces as they turned to face Calypso, goddess of the sea, also known as Tia Dalma. "My lady," Elizabeth said softly, as she curtseyed. The priests and Therapon bowed their heads in reverence to Calypso, but the Captains only bowed their heads a little to her. The goddess was much changed from when the men had last seen her in human form. She seemed to be continuously changing, one moment she was Tia Dalma, but the next she seemed to be something much different and far more beautiful, though more terrifying at the same time. Her eyes were never the same color for long, and her voice had a far more vibrant quality to it than when she was bound in human form.

"You're more beautiful than ever," Jack proclaimed brightly, even though he was possibly more frightened than at any other time in his life, save when he faced the Kraken. She had scared him while she was bound, now that she was free to use her powers as she so chose, she was capable of anything.

"Relax Jack," the goddess spoke, seeming to sense his fear. "If I had a quarrel with you, your ship would now lie at the bottom of the sea and you would have boarded the Dutchman to sail to your Final Judgment."

"Noted," he replied, much relieved.

"How did you know of our plans," Barbossa asked.

Calypso smiled kindly. "I know many thing, many tales of what has been and some of what may come. I have heard whispers on the sea of the lives the three of you have been living, and I have also watched young Captain Turner as he has learned how to be the Dutchman's captain. And I have known of the life you have lived, have I not," she said to Elizabeth.

The young woman lowered her eyes a little, and the Captains looked at her. "What does she mean," Jack asked.

"She has visited me many times throughout the long years," Elizabeth answered softly. "It was she who mentioned in passing once that sometimes the course of life isn't irreversible. That's what inspired me to choose this course of action."

"And it has brought you to this Temple in search of the Talisman which can change the course which the flowing of time and events has made. However, that which you seek isn't here."

Elizabeth, Jack, and Barbossa looked at Calypso in shock. If the Talisman wasn't there, where was it?

* * *

_TBC... (soon I hope! Until then, review. It won't make me update faster, but it'll make me happy, actually that might make me update faster, because work exhausts me and I'm not happy then...)_ (addendum... thank you to the reviewers of the previous chapters, I liked them a lot and I forgot to mention that in the first posting of this chapter) 

**Quick question, France or England?** No, I'm not telling you why, I just want an answer.

**Translations:**

_"Qu'est que vous desirez discute_r" - What do you wish to discuss?

_"Plusieurs années il y a j' ai reçu une lettre d'un messanger. Le messanger a dit que l'expéditeur a souhaité rester anonyme, mais que la lettre était importante. La lettre m'a demandé combien la dette du Jack Sparrow était, et ne pas l'enjoliver à tout_._ Naturellement, je me méfiais de que l'expéditeur pourrait être, mais j'ai répondu véridiquement, et depuis j'ai recu la somme et l'intérêt. J'ai entendu aussi que les autre Seigneurs de Pirate ont reçu des lettres similaires."_  
- Several years ago I recieved a letter from a messanger. The messanger said that the sender wished to remain anonymous, but that the letter was important. The letter asked me how much Jack's debt was, and not to embellish it at all. Naturally, I was suspicious of whom the sender might be, but I responded truthfully, and since then I've recieved the sum and interest. I've also heard that the other Pirate Lords recieved similar letters.

_"Ah, et vous croyez que je connais qui l'expéditeur est?"_ – Ah, and you believe that I know who the sender is?

_"Peut-être ma dame." _- Perhaps my lady.

"_Vraiment_" –really/truly

"Assez bon se débarasser des dettes du Jack, j'admis?" –Good enough to pay off Jack's debts I suppose?

_"De ne couler pas ma dame."_ –Of course not my lady.

_"Bien sûr, merci."_ –Of course, thank you.

"_Au revoir, ma dame et la bonne sante à vous."_ –Goodbye my lady and good health to you.

_"Merci Chevalle, et la même à vous."_ –Thank you Chevalle, and the same to you.

Therapon- servant or worshiper

Papadopoulos- son of the priest

7-9-2007


End file.
